


Highly Strung

by nothingelsematters



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: (yes I included the guitars as characters don't @ me), Breaky - Freeform, M/M, Minor mention of blood, brian thinks john is straight, but john is a bossy bottom, instruments as extensions of a musician's person, look it's just a bit weird okay, mentions of minor injury, sexy guitar restringing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 10:10:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17526779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingelsematters/pseuds/nothingelsematters
Summary: A little accident at practice leaves Brian needing to re-string John's prized Rickenbacker. John supervises...in a very hands-on way.





	Highly Strung

**Author's Note:**

> So this one popped into my head as a response to a headcanon ask on my tumblr from a lovely anon:
> 
> "Hello! If you’re still taking requests, I’d greatly appreciate it if you wrote something with Brian topping John❤️"
> 
> The resulting answer can be found here: https://nothingelsematterswrites.tumblr.com/post/182207777213/hello-if-youre-still-taking-requests-id but then I felt I wanted to...flesh it out a little, so to speak.
> 
> FYI, this is a non-Liar universe story. Takes place around 1973, with the boys all living together.
> 
> PS: I am possibly the least musical person on the planet (you literally could not trust me with John's triangle solo). So, uh, I don't really know how guitars get re-strung. Sorry in advance.

The tell-tale  _plunk_ of a string breaking was hardly an unusual sound in the Queen rehearsal studios. What  _was_ unusual was the string of curse words that immediately followed, turning the air blue and freezing Roger, Brian and Freddie right where they were.

Brian turned first, panic in his chest. John  _never_ swore, so if he swore, that must mean - 

"Don't just stare, guys! Someone get me a tissue before I bleed all over my guitar!"

Brian immediately pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket (he always carried at least two spares) and hurried across to John, who was now holding his hand out oddly to prevent blood from dripping on either the carpet or guitar. As he approached, it became evident to Brian what had happened; the string had snapped in exactly the wrong place and had ripped a gash in John's hand as it broke.

Reaching out without thinking, Brian wrapped his handkerchief around John's hand, knotting it carefully to hold it in place. The gash hadn't looked too bad; it was just bleeding incessantly, as such wounds usually did.

"Thanks," John said softly, looking up at Brian with a small, sweet smile, and Brian felt the floor lurch under him as he tried to smile back, his heart hammering.

"You're welcome."

"I guess that's the end of the session," Roger said, disappointment in his tone.

"Yes," Freddie agreed. "With our bassist out for a few days I suppose we'll have to rest. Or perhaps check out that new club, Roger, darling? Didn't you say we could go?"

"Yeah!"

Brian rolled his eyes and smiled at John, who was still giving him that sweet smile.

"Count me out."

"Yes, I don't think I'm feeling up to it with this." John held up his hand. "But I was going to ask, Bri, since I can't, could I ask a favour? Would you mind terribly restringing the Rick? I don't like the idea of leaving it with a broken string until my hand is healed."

John looked at him so earnestly that Brian had absolutely no hope of refusing even if he'd wanted to.

"Of course, John."

"Thanks, Bri." John's smile was almost... _coy_? On Freddie Brian would certainly have described it that way. "There's no-one else I'd trust to do it but you."

Oh yeah, he was screwed.

*

Freddie and Roger left for their club almost as soon as the four of them arrived back at the apartment; Brian half-heartedly shouted a few warnings about being careful after them as he collected the various medical supplies he would need to dress John's wound properly, but knew they'd go unheeded. He walked through to their grandiosely-named "music room" - which was really just the smallest room in the apartment filled with their instruments and various paraphernalia - to find John sitting patiently on the very small couch.

John didn't speak as Brian unwrapped the handkerchief very carefully, except to let out a little hiss as it was pulled off the wound. Brian was pleased to see it now only oozing blood, rather than dripping. He cleaned it up and applied the antiseptic, before bandaging the gauze in place. Another small hiss slipped from between John's teeth, and Brian ran a thumb over the back of his hand soothingly, without thinking. He didn't dare look at John afterwards as he picked up the package of strings; John had placed the Rickenbacker on a stand next to the couch, and Brian lifted it gently into his lap. John made a soft noise next to him, and long fingers reached out to stroke over the bass. Brian made the mistake of looking up, and, oh...

Brian was so whipped.

Ordinarily, Brian wouldn’t have any trouble controlling his attraction to their beautiful young bassist while they were alone together, but this was different. Their legs were touching because of how small the couch was, their breathing almost in rhythm, and Brian couldn't forget the softness of John's skin under his touch.

And now Brian had what was effectively part of John’s soul in his hands.

Worse, John was watching him with a beautifully intense expression, his grey-green eyes fixed on Brian’s hands, his long chestnut hair falling forward as he sat forward just slightly…

_Concentrate!_

Brian began undoing the old strings carefully, following a similar process to the one he used for the Old Lady, checking everything carefully after each string. He knew how John must feel; it would be almost unbearable to Brian to watch anyone else string his lady, so this must be torture.

It felt almost… _too_ intimate, with the way John was watching him.

John let out a sigh as Brian released the last string, and if anything, he moved even closer, and Brian was surprised to see a little flush of redness on his cheekbones. Quickly, he looked back down at the Rickenbacker as he ripped open the package of strings.

“Go easy on me, Bri, it’s my first time with you,” John murmured, and there was something dark flashing through his eyes as he looked up at the guitarist that had his heart speed up.

“Won’t feel a thing,” he promised, wondering if John had really meant that to sound so…filthy.

John hummed in his throat as Brian tightened the first string, a sound that went straight to Brian’s cock. Nervously, he shifted the guitar on his lap to make sure it was hidden from view, and continued, pulling the string taut and fastening it.

John’s breathing seemed to grow heavier. Brian sneaked a look, and now the red flush was pronounced, his pupils wider than normal. Even as Brian looked, the tip of John’s tongue swept out over his bottom lip.

Yes, his cock was definitely  _very_  interested in their situation now. Brian pulled out the second string.

John let out a soft sound - almost a moan - as Brian began working on it, and he swallowed hard. He had to admit to himself that sometimes this happened to him too…the Old Lady was so much a part of him that sometimes taking care of her almost felt like jerking himself off…but…he’d never had someone else treat the re-stringing like a sexual experience before.

Perhaps John was just stressed. Surely sweet, innocent,  _straight_  (or so Brian assumed anyway - suddenly he realised he had no definitive information about this) John wouldn’t be treating this so dirtily.

Brian was very much shaken from his delusion as he pulled the string taut again. The sound that left John’s throat was definitely something akin to a whimper, and Brian didn’t miss the way his hips scooted forward just a little. Glancing downward, he noticed a definite tenting in the front of John’s jeans, and his body heated up.

But he had to focus. He had to finish the strings.

Their thighs were now pressed together the whole way down, and Brian wasn’t sure if what he was feeling was his own warmth or the heat that John was transmitting. At any rate, John’s closeness was doing _things_ to his body, and he really needed to concentrate.

“Oh,  _Bri_ ,” John breathed as he finished the next string. “You’re so good to me, Bri. So perfect.”

Brian made the mistake of looking up at John - and was met by a gaze that he could only describe as  _hungry_.

Hands shaking slightly, he kept working, now fully hard and rather uncomfortable as John’s noises and words became more obscene the longer it went on. Finally, however, he finished the last string, and turned to John for approval.

“Well?”

John grinned naughtily and lifted two fingers, licking over them slowly and with far more tongue than Brian thought was necessary, before plucking a few of the lowest notes that struck Brian’s very core.

“Perfect,” John whispered, his eyes never leaving Brian’s.

There was a moment of unbroken tension between them, and then Brian carefully put John’s guitar on the nearby stand, never breaking eye contact.

The second the instrument was out of the way, he had a lapful of horny, pushy John, kissing him fiercely, gripping his curls to force his head back for a better angle, all tongue and teeth and wild unrestrained passion, grinding downwards with his hips, and Brian could feel John was just as hard as he was.

“God - Bri…” John groaned against his lips, and Brian had to sneakily pinch himself to make sure he was awake and not dreaming. John’s hands were undoing the buttons of Brian’s shirt with what seemed to Brian to be an unfair adeptness. He barely had it open before his fingers were circling a nipple and Brian cried out in surprise.

“John - Jesus…”

“Wanted this for so long,” John panted against Brian’s mouth, and Brian had to pinch himself again. “God, you’re beautiful. Think of you all the time. Think of this.” His teeth caught Brian’s lower lip, tugging at it gently before letting go.

“Tell me what you think of,” Brian encouraged, suddenly craving to hear the filthy things their bassist had been fantasising. He’d never known John had a mouth on him like this. “Do you get off thinking about it?”

“All the time,” John gasped as Brian began unbuttoning his jeans. “In the shower. Nearly every day. Think of all the ways I want you to fuck me. In my bed. In your bed. In the studio. Over the kitchen bench. Over this couch.”

“Over this couch, hmm?” Brian bit gently at John’s throat, sucking on the mark. “Tell me more about that one.”

“Mmm,” John slid down out of Brian’s lap, settling between his knees and reaching up to unbutton his fly. “Well, first, I do this…”

Brian cried out again as John leaned forward and took his cock into his mouth, tongue teasing around the head. His fingers were splayed over Brian’s hips, holding them still, and Brian could only moan as John set to work with his mouth. It was overwhelming, too much too quickly, and he had to quickly pull John’s head back, nearly coming then and there at the glazed expression of his eyes and the way his lips were red and kiss-swollen.

“That was very good,” Brian told him. “But I don’t want this to be over too soon. What happens next?”

“Well,” John says mischievously, “Then I do this.” He stood abruptly, and shucked his jeans and underwear in one swift movement until they lay pooled around his ankles, standing proudly on display in front of Brian, not one ounce of his usual shyness visible.

Leaning forward, John grabbed Brian’s shirt in fistfuls, hissing slightly at the pain that brought his injured hand, and forced him to stand.

“Then this.” With a flick of John’s clever fingers, Brian’s pants were sliding downwards too.

“And then?”

John knelt, fluidly, in front of the couch, bending over so that he was resting on his elbows, then looked coyly back over his shoulder at Brian.

“Oh, I think you get the picture.”

Brian could only thank whatever deity out there had somehow made this beautiful creature want him. He could also thank Roger, later, for the lube he knew was stashed under the couch.

John shuddered as Brian carefully pushed one slick finger against his hole, spreading his legs just a little wider. He was hot and tight, and Brian relished the way he twitched as his finger worked inside. It wasn’t long before the twitches turned to writhes.

“Bri - Bri, please - god, Bri…”

“Jesus, John,” Brian murmured, kissing down John’s spine. “I never knew you had it in you. Here you go.” He slid a second finger in, and John moaned loudly, throwing his head back; some of his hair was plastered in sweaty curls against his cheeks.

It was taking all of Brian’s self-control to hold back as he concentrated on working John open. He wanted this to be so good for John, he wanted to make sure John knew no-one else would treat him like Brian…

“Bri, please - need you to fuck me,” John panted as his hips worked back, pushing Brian’s fingers deeper. “Need - want -  _oh_!”

His back curved as Brian hooked his fingers upwards and found a particularly sensitive spot. It was gorgeous, it was perfect, and Brian couldn’t resist anymore.

“Are you sure, John? Last chance to back out.”

“Get your cock inside me,” John growled, and Brian could not do anything other than obey, wanting to completely surrender to this man he adored.

John was hot and tight and Brian wanted to stop and check in with him again, but John didn’t give him the chance. He circled his hips back savagely and wailed in delight as it pushed Brian deeper.

“Please,” he whimpered. “Please, Bri…”

Brian leaned down and kissed the juncture of shoulder and neck, now slightly salty with sweat, as he drew out and pushed back in as hard as he could.

John’s drawn-out moan was so loud Brian was starting to get a little worried they’d disturb the neighbours. Then John clenched around him and the neighbours were the last thing on his mind. He grabbed John’s hips, trying to reassert some level of control, and began to move as quickly as he dared, enjoying the soft cries and pants that filled the air.

“Bri - Bri - Bri -  _Briiiii_ ,” John sobbed as Brian finally took pity on him, curling one hand around his cock, smearing the pre-come over it to ease the way as he began to stroke; two strokes, three, and John was coming, his back arched almost impossibly, his lips stretched wide in a silent scream, head thrown back; his body convulsed around Brian and Brian’s vision went white, hips stuttering as he came, slumping over John’s back.

They stayed like that for a moment, listening to each other breathe, before Brian carefully withdrew and rolled off John, reaching for the tissues that he’d set aside while dressing John’s hand.

“Oops,” John said sweetly as he straightened up. “We made a mess, Bri.”

Brian laughed as he began to clean John up. The bassist curled happily into him, letting him do as he would. “Don’t worry, John. That couch already has plenty of stains.”

John shivered as Brian wiped between his legs and curled closer. Brian gave up on cleaning them and wrapped his arms around John instead, earning him the most lovely smile he’d ever seen.

“I love you, you know,” he blurted out before he could stop himself. John’s mouth fell open in surprise, and Brian screwed his eyes shut tight, certain he’d now messed up  _everything_.

Then he felt the soft brush of lips against his, and opened his eyes cautiously to see John positively  _glowing_  with happiness.

“I love you, too,” he said quietly. “I’ve been trying to flirt with you…forever. I guess I’m not very good at that.”

“I thought…” Brian chuckled weakly at his foolish assumption, “I thought you were  _straight_.”

John threw back his head and laughed with unrestrained joy, and Brian had never heard a more beautiful sound.

**Author's Note:**

> I am still working on Liar, don't worry! I'm just off gallivanting at the moment. New part soon!
> 
> You can also follow my tumblr, where the ask box is currently closed as I work my way through an obscene number of headcanon asks at varying speeds.
> 
> Also, if you haven't read Queen in 3D, I do recommend. But it definitely gave me all the Breaky feels. LOTS OF BREAKY FEELS.


End file.
